Mia's Birthday and Harley

Last weekend we worked really hard to get Stuart moved into the "Man Cave" aka: junk room that needed to be de cluttered. I guess I'm having my nesting kick now and things are flying around here. 

Saturday we got a surprise call that a puppy was available due to a buyer not picking her up for weeks due to bad weather.  Only six days before had we gotten our name on this breeders wait list hoping for a summer or fall puppy. We had a hard time getting to this point and had been praying for a puppy so imagine me asking Nate at 3 o'clock on a Saturday if we could get a puppy on Monday? Things were kind of crazy over here.

 Mint Oreo Cake for Mia

Sunday was spent celebrating Mia's 10th birthday which was the next day. Friends came over and we all went swimming to an indoor pool. Good times. We had church in the evening and I laughed at all 5 of these children who looked beat and had bloodshot eyes from all of the swimming.

The long lonely drive to pick up the dog. Monday I drove far to get this puppy like one of those crazy dog people. Shake my head. 

Stopped for gas, yup she's still back there. She was quiet for a few hours and the next time she yelped I jumped so bad. 

 It's been a week now, I told Nate that  I still love him more than the dog.

Stuart runs around yelling at her, "Harley Martin"! 

This morning I mentioned that she needs to get shots and this has Stuart very worried, will she get them in her fluff? Mia telling him that it's called fur.

I had a running list of dog names on my phone that I had been adding too. Stuart and I spent our days discussing dog names and Stuart would mock calling for the dog. So just for the fun of it, here is the list.

Dog names 

Fender

Howler

Marmaduke

Maynard

Moxie 

Saffron

Sake

Samone

Fisher

Piper

Sukie

Mitzi

Winnie

Poppie

Pippi

Pepper

Paisley

Grove

Harley

Hazel

Alley

Murphy

Flint

Charlie

Justice

Liberty

Cliché

Harbor

Sullivan 

Rumi

Basil

Moose

Sailor

Chaplin

Hashtag

Dozer

Maverick

Breaker

Boots

Maja

Misha 

Timber

Wilma

Nancy

Copper

Sully

Clover 

In the Midst of Another Long Winter

Stuart and his dump truck

An organized closet shelf. This would mean so much more if I would have taken a before picture. Imagine horrors in this space. 

My midwife has been on me to keep track of how often the baby is kicking.  (my cord is 2 vessel instead of 3. While everything looks fine now it can cause lack of nourishment) I was wracking my brain to think of an efficient way to get this accomplished without drawing marks on my arm. Even that method would require a pen at all times.  Online I came across some kick counter bracelets. Super cheesy and shiny. My search for a counting bracelet led me to a "stroke counter" for golfers. Thus the happy note that came along.

Strawberry shortcake got us through a few winter blues. 

Hyper girls about to attend their first concert ever. Piano Guys. 

I was scared I would lose Ellie in the crowd and told Mia to hold her hand. Mia being the type that jumps up and down and flaps her arms around when she gets excited, forgot herself and squeezed Ellie's hand so hard that Ellie was crying. Nothing like a little drama while waiting in line. We were just glad to be inside unlike their father who was waiting outside after parking the van. 

Olive entertaining herself.

Olive 16 Months

 All day long she says, Hi! while waving, duck, and please.  She has become quite demanding.

She loves when we sing songs. 

 Olive had the flu last week and was finally feeling better and ready to get out of the house when Mia got the flu. So we stayed home from church and Olive was not very happy about it.